Taming Windows Vista
Vista will go down in history as the ugly sister of Windows 7 & XP. But proper strategies you can get the very best of this fanfare OS. Here in this article The Geeks will discuss some Vista-specific options to get the truculent Operating System working exactly the way you want.
Sweet Disguise
Aero’s Graphical User Interface comes default with Vista. It gives Vista the ability to flip through windows in 3D & it surely looks pretty. But if Performance is your primary concern you should better not use it. To turn it off:
- Go to Start > Control Panel > System & maintenance > performance information & Tools.
- Select ‘Adjust visual Effects’ and choose ‘Adjust for best performance’
Loose the FAT
Vista usually runs under FAT32 & NTFS. NTFS is much faster in storing, transferring & saving files and is efficient in serving up the items you need. If you still at the FAT age, its time for you to shred it. To check & change the file format:
- Type “cmd” and press ENTER
- In the command prompt type in “convert x: /fs:ntfs (‘x’ = Hard disk drive letter)
- Press ENTER
Banish the Sidebar
Vista’s sidebar is a disappointment to most of its users. The widgets in it are little more than a resource drain & its news feeds always seems to be outdated. It affects both processor cycles & screen space. To Remove it:
- Click on Windows Colour & appearance
- Uncheck the box for Enable Transparency
Fed up with SuperFetch?
Superfetch makes your programs preload much faster when you need them by determining which programs you use most often. The Issue is that this approach can cut down on the amount of memory available for everything else.
- Start > Search Box
- Type in Services.msc
- Click on SuperFetch from the list
- Select Disabled from the its Properties menu
Regain Control
UAC (User Account Control) is one of the most annoying feature in Vista. But luckily its very easy to disable.
- Go to Start > Search Box
- Type in UAC
- Browse through the option & turn it Off
Vista’s Memory Diagnostic
Most of the cases Vista’s bad memory can be held responsible behind its sluggishness. You can know whether dodgy RAM or a problem with your motherboard is holding things back by performing a quick check with Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
Go to Start > Search Box
- Type in memory
- Click Memory Diagnostic Tool
